fitz power



Jan. 27, 1931. R. FlTz POWER 1,790,441

METHOD 0F CUTTING LEAVES AND BINDING MECHANISM THEREFOR Jan. 27, 1931. R F11-2 POWER x1,79,v4-1-1 METHOD 0F CUTTING LEAVES AND BINDING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Jan. 29, 1926 2 sheets-sheet 2 hm n Patented Jan. 27, 1931 ira srAres PATENT ortica RICHARD DITZ roWDR, or LONDON,- DNGLAND, AssIeNoB, To-MoRLAND a IMPDY LIMITED, Y oF BIRMINGIIAM, ENGLAND METHOD or CUTTING LnAvns AND Dummef MncIrAnIsM THEREFQR Application 'mea Tammy 2e, iszaseriai No, 34,598, and-in. Great Britain May 25', 1925.

My invention relates to improvements in loose leaf securing mechanism in which loose leaves may be secured either in lilepform` or in book form, andthe objects of my invention 5 are i First: to provide a leaf of sucha form that it may be cut from a long strip Without anyv Waste of paper;

Second: to provide that such a leaf may be 1U readily and quickly put into place and abstractedfrom a bunch which is bound in file or book form.

Third: to provide means by Whichthis se-r curing of the leaves may take place both by l5 an automaticanchoring mechanism and a binding mechanism. Y f

My invention relates to the type of loose leaf binders which have employed leaves with undercut notches. Heretofore it has been a known practice to employ therewith telescopic projecting posts carried by clamping plates of the binder, and means by. which they can be manually projected into the notches. A disadvantage of the type of loose leaf-'binder referred to is that a material addition to the space occupiedl beyond the area of asingle leaf has been necessary to accommodate the binding mechanism, and it has further been possible to leave the binding mechanism open when the person handling the binder is careless, so that the leavesr may drop out of the binder and necessitate laborious and time-consuming re-assortment andsecurementl` My present improvements obviate xthese disadvantages by providing and is substantially containedvvit'hin the area Y of the leaves or'the covers, regardedV sideways, that is, Within the area of the mass of leaves lying upon their face upon a table, and also Within the limits of maximum cover or mass thickness. By this means, considerable 'space is saved, and the binder is never in condition to allow leaves to come out except it is pur- V posely operated by-a bookkeeper or' clerk It should be noted particularlyv that Whereas a number of binders are known With what may l be called notches of undercut form, there is a that the mechanismA for locking the sheets is automatic in the locking directionwhen free,-

material diference'in that the cutl out spaces whereby the necessaryl space is obtained for the manipulationof the locking means WithoutA anyy material excrescences beyond the volume of the binder represented lin area by aleaf and in thickness by the covers of a binder.

In vthis application I describe the method of securing the leaves by a manual operation of the securing device. y ln vthe drawings annexed tion: n v

l lis an outlineof a leaf arranged With a central recess at one end;i

Fig. 2 is a'view showing the'leafhaving the recessed ends formedby cutting away the corners of the leaf; y v j Fig. 3 is an end view looking from the anchoring end showing a bunch of leaves on a filing' structure; 1 F ig. L is a sectional vieuT of Fig. 3 onY the iin'e lV-IV;. Y

F ig. 5 is a plan View cfa stift1 sheet or cover board `provided With rubber grips on each side of its recess;

nig. 6 is asection ofFig. 5 on the line to this specicaing means forfthe leaves; and i Fig. 8,'s the end View from the back of a binder showing'V anchoring" and binding means in amodified form of theinvention.

' Fig. 9isa vieW-similarto Fig. Sbut shoW- 'ing the parts in leafereleasin'g position.V A

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the draw'- the leaf'from along strip, say, a strip of a Width `equaltodouble the length of 'a sheet therefrom Without any Waste by dividing the strip by transverse lines fromeither side of as illustrated in fFig. l, sheets mayfvbe "cut y the strip alternately, thefsaid lines extend- 10G ing to the middle of a slit forming the recess in a sheet opposite; by thus cutting the strip, all the sheets will have the recess transversely as shown in Fig. 1. Should sheets as shown in Fig. 2 be desired, transverse cuts will be made, starting from'the opposite side of the sheet to that just named, and extending to the middle of a slit forming the end of the projection represented by B-C of Fig. 2 of a sheetl opposite. In any event if theY sheets are to be cut without waste the sum of the dimensions .EL and l) must always equal the sum of the dimensions B and C.

Fig. 2 shows a leaf which may be used for the same purpose, but with the undercut ends 10, 11 forming boundaries to recessed portions 12, 13 cut out of the corners of the leaf.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a heap ofy leaves such as 1 secured on anchoring bars 15, 17, the bars being attached to eyes 18, 19 respectively, and the eyes sliding on the spindle 20; this spindle 20 is supported by hinge pieces 21, 22 attached to the base board 23, and riding on the spindle 20 between the eyes 18 and 19 is a helical spring 2G tending-to press the eyes 18, 19 apart.

24, 25 are lugs integral with the eyes 18, 19 respectively, and it will be seen that owing to the action of the spring 26, the bars 16, 17 are pressed firmly into the corners such as 4, 5 (see Fig. 1) of theleaves 1, and thus hold them from being dislodged. )When it is deired to remove a leaf or leaves, the lugs 24, 25 are pressed together by the lingers, and the'bars 16, 17 consequently moved4 towards each other, being attached to the eyes 18, 19.

A leaf can thus be withdrawn by a straight pull on the end e. To hold the leaves down so that they do not inadvertently come loose, atop board 28 cut out in the same way as the leaf 1 is employed, being furnished, for example, with rubber bindings 30, 31 around the undercut corners 4, 5. rlhus when the bars 16, 17 are allowed to expand into the said corners, thefrictional effect of the linings 30, 31 keeps the top board pressed down on the bunclr of leaves 1 beneath it.

Referring new to Fig. 7, thisdevice in addition to the anchoring bars 16", .17', in this casemad'e double by the'addition ofthe inner bars 14, 15, is also made telescopic, spindles 34, 35, 3.7 attached to binding plates 40, 41 being arranged to'slidel within the portions 14, 15, 16, 17 respectively, and springs 38, 39 being employed to draw the binding plates 40, 4:1.always towards the binding plates 42,

respectively. As before, eyes 18, 19 fixed tothe anchoringbars (by being attached to bindingplates 42, 43 which carry the latter) slide on the spindle 2O carried by the hinge pieces 21', 22', which secure it t'o the cover board' 23,4 and formA stops which. limit the outward? movement of the eyesV 18, 19 actuatedV by thespring'26.

A top board' 28.:in=this case-is connected by other hinge pieces 44, 45 with a spindle 4G carrying another spring 27, and working in precisely the same way as the spring 2G.

rllhe binding plates 40, 41 actuated by the springs 38, 39 thus clamp the sheets between themselves and the binding plates 42, 43, and hold them in place.

ln the binder illustrated in Figs. 8 and i) the anchoring bars are formed by casings 51, which enclose the springs 38, 39 and the inner slidingl pins or posts 34, 36, and 35, 37 respectivel, these latter elements being the saine as before. 'l`he bars may be ope-ned by the linger plates 53, 54, and opening of the binding plates 40, 41, and 42, 43 may be achieved by links pivoted together at 5G and pivotally mounted on casings 51, at 61, (32respectively, and connected at 57, 58 to the binding plates 40, 41 respectively.

rEhe action is that by pressure of the finger plates 54 (or by any operation of the cas- 51, 52) towards each other, the links 55 pivoted at (il, G2 to the anchoring bar casings and vith an unfettered hinge at their joint, cause the binding plates 40, 41 (attached by the pivot points 57, 58) to move apart from the opposite plates 42, 43. rlhis action is really opposed by the tension of the springs 38, 39, and als by the compression of the springs 2G, so as to achieve the automatic locking of the casings 51, 52`when free in the und rcut ends ofthe sheetrecesses,

By this means pressure on the linger plates 53, 54 both draws in the anchoring bars and at the same time removes the pressure'from the binding members which clamp the leaves together. Any leaf, therefore, may be released or 'nserted by grasping its end c and manipulating it as required.

F ig. 9 shows the binder in expanded position after operation by the linger plates 53, 54, the anchoring bar casings 51, 52 being thereby retracted into the leaf recesses and the binding plates simultaneously moved out of leaf engagement. Removal 0r replace ment of any leaves 1 mounted on the binder as will be seen can be readily effected with the binder, in this position, while resecurement of the leaves is automatic on the release of the linger plates 53, 54, which permit the ,binder to reassume the position shown in Fig. 8;

l" That is claimed is 1. Aapparatus for securing loose leaves of the kind having open recesses with undercut ends on one edge, comprising members contained within the limits of maximum cover or mass thickness which occupy said undercutr'ends to secure the leaves, and means for withdrawing the said members from the undercut endsthereby releasing the leaves.

2. Apparatus for securing loose leaves of the lrind having open recesses with undercut ends on one edge comprising link members contained within the limits of maximum t.v A loose leaf or sheet having parts of" one end cut awayso as to form projections with ends undercut transversely of the sheet, the parts cut away being substantially equal in width transversely to the parts remaining,

f and in which-.the equal projections with undercut ends are' arranged on either sideof a centralrecess; 1

- 5. A loose leaf or sheet having parts of one e-nd cut away so as to form projections'with ends undercut transversely ofthe sheet, the parts cut away being substantially equal in width transversely'to the parts remaining,

. and in which projections with undercut ends are arranged on yeither side of a recess between them.V j V 6. A loose leaf or sheet having parts of one end cut away soas to form projections with Aends undercut transversely of the sheet, the

parts cut away being substantially equal in width transversely to the parts remaining, and in which the relative Vwidth and the relative form ofthe parts cut away andthe parts remaining are such that leaves may becut in two adjacent rows from a strip with substantially no waste of material.

7. The method of making leaves having parts of one Vend cut away so as to form projections with ends undercutv transversely of the sheet, the parts cut away 4being substantially equal in width to the parts remaining,

4which', consists in cutting aweb or strip of paper into sections longitudinally in acontinuous zigzag line `adapted to form the necessary recesses infthe ends of vsheets made from the sections from either side of the said line, and cutting up a said section divided from a whole strip by transverse lines 'prof ceeding from an outer edge so as to terminate at the other or cut edge at a predetermined point thereon, wherebysheets are cut from .a strip without any waste of material.

8. Loose leaf securing mechanism coin prising leaves having open faced end recesses whoseV width transverselyY is a substantial proportion of the tot-al width of the leaf,and having undercut ends, in combination with anchoring members disposed substantially within the recessed space formed by a mass of said leaves, cover boards for said leaves, bars attached to said cover boards' andv slidably carrying said anchoring members, and

springs mountedY on said bars and forcing said anchoring members into said undercut ends to secure the leaves;

9., Loose leafsecuring mechanism comprising leaves having open faced end recesses whose width transversely is a substantial. proportion'of the total width of the leaf, and having undercut lends, in combination with a pair of anchoring members disposed substantially within the recessed space formed by a mass of said leaves, cover boards for said leavesbars attacliedto said cover boards and slidably carrying said anchoring members, and va pair of spring elements betweensaid anchoring members one on each bar, so that the action of the springs compresses the said anchoring members transversely into said undercut-ends to secure the leaves.

l0. Loose leaf securing mechanism comprisingl leaves having open faced end recesses whose width is a substantial propo'rtion of the total width of theleaf, and havl ing undercut ends, in combination witha pair of anchoring membersdisposed substantially within-the recessed space formed by a mass of said leaves, cover boards for said `leaves bars attached to said cover boards slidably carrying said anchoring members, a

pair of spring elements between the said anchoring members and forcing them transversely intothe said undercutv ends, and

vmeans for withdrawing saidl anchoring members within the recess to release the leaves.

11. Loose leaf securing mechanism comprising leaves having open-ended recesses Vchoring bars disposed within the area of such recesses, spindles disposed adjacent each end of the said anchoring bars -at right angles thereto, binding Aplates attached `to the said Vanchoring bars having eyes adapted to slide @on the said spindles, spring'members on the said spindles arranged to press the anchoring bars into said undercut-ends, spring ment vbers operating to draw together the said binding plates, stop members attached to the said spindles so as toform stopslimiting the movement of the said eyes on thesaid spindles, and means for manipulating the said springs to open and close the saidranchoringfbars and the said,V binding plates v`respectively.

scopic anchoring bars disposed `within the area ot such recesses, spindles disposed adacent each end of the said anchoring bars at righuangles thereto, binding plates attached to the said anchoring bars, those on one side to the outer telescopic members, and those on the other side to the inner telescopic members, eyes on the said binding plates slidably engaging said spindles, tension springs connecting pairs et' said binding plates, helical compression springs on said spindles dis posed between the said eyes, cover boards attached to said spindles and forming stops limiting the movement of said eyes, and means tor actuating the said anchoring bars and binding plates to withdraw them from bindinfr engagement with the leaves against the action ot said springs.

14. Loose leaf securing mechanism comprising leaves having open-ended recesses with undercut ends in combination with a pair of telescopic anchoring bars disposed within the area of such recesses, binding plates attached to each anchoring bar, a tension spring connecting each pair oi" bindinO plates, one binding plate being connected to the outer member of a said telescopic bar, which outer member also encloses the said tension spring when at minimum distance apart, and the opposite binding plate being connected to an inner in-sliding mem-v ber the telesc ic bar, spindles disposed adjacent each end of the said anchoring bars and at right angles thereto, eyes on two binding plates engaging one of the said spindles, and eyes on two binding plates engaging the other spindle, helical compres sion springs on the said spindles tending to separate the said eyes, covers attached to the said spindles by hinge members thereon so as to form stops limiting the movement of the said anchoring bars, and means for operating the said springs to open and close said anchoring bars and said binding plates respectively.

15. Apparatus for securing loose leaves of the kind having open recesses with undercut ends on one edge, comprising members contained within the limits of maximum cover or mass thickness which occupy said undercut ends, pairs of binding elements and hinged levers connecting said members with said binding elements in such manner that manual withdrawal of said members from anchoring position eiiects separation of said binding elements to permit ot the removal of the leaves.

16. A loose leai` or sheet cut away in parts at one end transversely oi' the sheet to form being substantially equal in width transversely to the parts remaining, the parts of' the cut edge or" the sheet on opposite sides of the longitudinal medial line of the sheet being substantially symmetrical.

18. A loose leaf securing mechanism comprising leaves cut away in parts at one end transversely of the sheet to form undercut projections, those parts cut away being substantially equal in width transversely to vthe parts remaining, in combination with anchoring bars disposed within such cutaway parts, spindle means disposed adjacent one end of said bars at right angles thereto, binding plates attached thereto having eyes adapted to slide on said spindle means, resilient means on said spindle means arranged to move the anchoring bars behind said projeetions, spring means operating to urge the binding plates towards each other, and means for manipulating said spring means to open and close said anchoring bars and said binding plates respectively.

19. An apparatus 'for securing loose leaves of the kind cut away in parts at one end transversely of the sheet to form undercut projections, comprising members adapted to be contained within the limits of maximum cover or mass thickness and which occupy the cut away parts to secure the leaves, and means for moving said members out o el"- iiective interlocking engagement with said cut-away parts thereby to release the leaves.

20. An apparatus for securing loose leaves of the kind cut away in parts at one end transversely of the sheet to form undercut projections, those parts cut away being sub stantially equal in width transversely to the the parts remaining, comprising members adapted to be contained within the limits of maximum cover 'or mass thickness and which occupy the cutaway parts to secure the leaves, and means for moving said members out of effective interlocking engagement with said cut-away parts thereby to release the leaves.

21. An apparatus for securing loose leaves of the kind having open recesses with undercut ends along one edge comprising members adapted to be contained within the limits or" maximum cover or mass thickness which occupy said under-cut ends to secure the leaves, and means for moving said members out of effective interlocking engagement with said undercut ends thereby to release the leaves.

ln testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

RICHARD F. POWER. 

